Death
by Xiao5hu
Summary: A mission had ended and my life might as well had too. My love was gone and so was my clan but a young child, once innocent, still lived. We were strangers; distant relatives, but he needed me. Just as I needed him.
1. Chapter 1

**Word** s of warning: I am likely not to finish this. The OC is also rather ambiguous in gender and might be a Mary/Gary Sue. So be warned! So... enjoy?

 ** **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or the Uchiha brothers. Do support Masashi Kishimoto and the official anime/manga releases.**

 **-** xxx-

With long black hair bundled up neatly, I pinned it up with a silver flower hairpin. It was the kind that stuck out and had little beads dangling down from one tip of the silver stick. A black top clung to my chest. The high collar was iconic to the Uchiha's. My bottoms was the clingy type too, showing off my long slender legs. Putting on the violet yukata and tying around the blue obi, I stepped into the wooden geta and left my apartment.

To people who asked, I called myself Death. Living was like dying. Without _Koibito_ , life was without colour. Even if my Sharingan was running, I would only remember the days running in blurs.

It was a long mission. 'Infiltration', 'double agent' and many words were written on the contract. At least my love was with me. We kissed and hugged. We lied and pretended. Where others would retire on marriage, we married while at work. We knew we would die on duty. Once found, imprisonment and torture would follow. But we were happy. We were together.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Only the regret in his old tired eyes spoke how sincere he was. Sandaime, we succeeded the mission but I think we failed. With no will to live, I was wondering if I should work until a mission killed me. However, I knew my love would not want to see me wilt away. Yet how do you live when you're all alone?

He had my eyes. Black like death itself. He had seen as much as me; loss of love and many deaths. His hands were different. Small and clean not like my calloused and blood-stained one. His short black hair spiked behind while mine remained held by _Koibito's_ gift. So different yet so similar.

He used to be so small. Just a baby in my arms. His mother, beautiful and kind, smile warmly, asking how I and my love was. His father scorned me but never dared to disturb the peace. His brother, so mature for one so young, looked up, yearning to take the baby from my arms. When the baby was in his arms, the child smiled happily, a rare sight for the stressed prodigy. Was it always this peaceful? This happiness bloomed from the sight of one so innocent. I swore to protect the baby. The child swore as well.

"He always loved you. He always protected you."

"He killed them! The past was all just an act!"

Voice so loud and filled with fury. Once innocent and joyful, the voice was now tainted with hatred. I watched sadly at the child. This was not the fate I had imagined for the innocent. Then again, I never imagined a life without my love.

"No matter how smart or mature they are, pretending for years is a feat impossible. Even for your prodigious brother. Somewhere he would have made a mistake and I doubt a five-year-old would think and plan for a mass-murder. Plus, who do you really want? A brother or a murderer?"

"He said… he did it to test his capacity. He killed them all for that…."

"I don't think there is much to test from fighting some geezers and the retired. Your smart brother would have gone for the hokage instead if that was the truth."

"Are you saying…."

"Who knows? For now, we choose who to belief, how we would proceed into the future and keep on living."

Yes, keep on living. That would be what his brother would want for him and what _Koibito_ would want for me.

"Will you stay?"

His voice so innocent yet filled with pain. I wonder what it would sound like when spoken with happiness. The corners of my mouth twitched. My right hand stroked his head in a gentle and comforting manner.

"I will. I'll take care of you and watch over you. I'll stay by your side but you too must stay by mine, alright?"

The boy nodded, determine to keep his word. I hope he does. After all, I don't think I can bare losing anymore important people. As the boy lay on the white hospital bed, he rolled closer to one side. Eyes watching me, asking silently for me to lay beside him. With my arm over his waist and my head on half of a pillow, I hummed a simple melody. His eyes slowly closed and soon mine followed.

While I heal the younger brother's traumatised mind and broken heart, I wonder how the older is faring. No matter what anyone said, I know that the child from eight years ago would keep his words. After all, the child in my arms was alive and breathing.

-xxx-


	2. Chapter 2

Is this OC overpowered? Yes, maybe, while the story is from their perspective, it's more of moments and their thoughts. I'm currently keeping the protagonist's gender unknown for now. Hope you don't mind...

 ** **Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or the Uchiha brothers. Do support Masashi Kishimoto and the official anime/manga releases.**

 **-** -xxx-

 **We had planned many things for when we had returned from the mission. A new home and a less dangerous job, we thought about kids but we decided to think about it later. There was no later now but I still had a child in my care. I had always seen myself taking the role of a mother and you the father. Maybe it was my appearance; feminine due to my lean figure and long hair. At least I knew I would cook better than you. The food I made for you always left you smiling. Now I see that smile on another's face.**

 **A grain of rice was stuck to his cheek. He ate hungrily, devoured nearly all the tomatoes in the dish. I chuckled and he pouted. I gave him some from my own bowl and he smiled in glee. So normal it felt but our eyes said otherwise. He placed his chopsticks down. I did as well. With tears in his eyes, I watched him break down. I got off my seat and went to him, wrapping my arms around him. My shoulder was soaked but it did not bother me. After all, I was crying too.**

 **It was too normal. Life without them could not possibly return to normal. An apartment too different from home. A different companion at the dining table. For now, we only had each other to fill the large holes in our hearts. With warmth to thaw the frost built from death of others, we returned to our lives once again.**

 **"** **You're a shinobi, right?" the boy asked.**

 **"** **Yes but I'm retired."**

 **"** **Can….Can you train me? I want to be strong."**

 **"** **Why do you want to be strong?"**

 **"** **I want to be able to protect you."**

 **"** **From your brother?"**

 **A moment he paused but he shook his head.**

 **"** **I….I don't want to think he killed because he want to…but if he does come back and attack, I want to protect you."**

 **So young and determine, the boy stood with fists clenched. He knew he was weak. His brother told him so. I knew I was strong. I had left a trail of blood during my active days. Here the weak and young wish to protect the strong and old.**

 **"** **Only if you use your power to protect and only that."**

 **I held out my hand, the pinky sticking out.**

 **"** **I promise," he wrapped his pinky around mine.**

 **"** **Then you also have to promise… you mustn't let power or pride cloud your mind."**

 **"** **I promise."**

 **And so he became my student. As he learnt the way of the Shinobi, I taught him the history of the Uchiha, the mistakes our elders had made and the lessons that could be learnt.**

 **"** **Overconfidence will be the Uchiha's downfall."**

 **I remembered saying that but no one listened. There was the issue of the isolation that the Uchiha suffered. It had left us without comrades to help us. I encouraged the boy to make friends. He was anti-social to most but I was confident he would succeed. One day, he returned home with two other students from the academy.**

 **One was blonde like his famous father, whose statue the boy would be found sitting on. He was loud and noisy. He sounded obnoxious but he had ambitions. While he often fought with the boy in my care, they always made up with a smile on their faces. I hope this friend would bring light to my charge's darkness.**

 **The other was a pink-hair girl, as pink as the flower she was named after. Shy and demure, it was hard to believe she was studying at a ninja school. The boys often pulled her into their games. When out of her shell, she was ferocious like a few kunoichi I knew. I hope this friend would make sure my charge would feel loved even if I was missing.**

 **Hatred was gone from his eyes. While sorrow still remained, life had gotten better for us. We may not be able to walk through the old compound without falling apart but we are living our lives. As I tied the paper around the crow's leg, I wonder how the older brother is faring. He may be a missing nin but he was still a Uchiha. He was still family….**


End file.
